


In Case of the Worst Case Scenario

by TheShadowPanther



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Gen, Parent Tony Stark, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 13:38:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18740137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShadowPanther/pseuds/TheShadowPanther
Summary: Tony is a futurist, and Morgan (and Pepper and Happy and Rhodey) gain a gift that only Tony could give. Artificial intelligence was always Tony's thing, why would five years retired from the superhero game change that?





	In Case of the Worst Case Scenario

**Author's Note:**

> Since people apparently don't read tags: CONTAINS ENDGAME SPOILERS. Unless already spoiled, or you do not care, read no further. 
> 
> My contribution to the "NO TONY NOOOOOO" chorus happening across fandom. Except I went a different route rather than bring him back. This is Tony we're talking about, after all. Futurist, genius, tech wizard, and the determination to take care of everyone he loves. With that in mind, the following fic is presented for you to enjoy.

The thing is, Tony is a futurist. 

The signs are all there, if one knows how to read them. And Tony has worked very hard to be able to read them. 

Forget superhero bullshit, _anything_ could happen to him or Pepper. Anything. Car crash, assassination, a slip down the stairs, you name it, normal human stuff could be their way to go, no matter how stupid. Just one tiny thing, and Morgan is out a parent, is missing a stable support for her as she grows up. Tony refuses to let that happen. 

The very day that he gets home from the hospital, the memory bright of Morgan’s fragile weight in his arms as he falls in love with her right then and there, he begins planning.

:~:~:~:

When he approaches Pepper about it, schematics and code in hand, it doesn’t take long for her to agree. His worry over Morgan is reflected in Pepper’s eyes, and he breathes easier knowing that he’s not the only one.

He has it done in a year. Only took that long because he kept finding more ways to incorporate what he wanted, what he needed, found more ways to take what good and bad there was and stuff it in there, shading nuances so carefully it hardly seems any different in the final product, but which changes things radically. It gets so he doesn’t know what’s different anymore, only that the end result is what he needs – and then he shuts it down.

:~:~:~:

Five years. Five years of every week, opening up the file and updating it, compiling and running, reworking so comprehension is possible, and then shutting it down again for another week. Weeks upon weeks of updating, it gets to be meditative, a soothing routine, until Tony doesn’t even have to be reminded to do it anymore, he just does it. Pepper will come in occasionally and see what he’s doing, and Morgan comes in all the time, but he never talks to them about the entire thing, just bits and pieces of it. Even Rhodey doesn’t get the whole picture, but that’s all right. Tony has every confidence his honey bear will understand given time and space to process.

:~:~:~:

And then Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Scott Lang (who?) show up at his door.

:~:~:~:

The moment Tony Stark breathes his last, he goes to his rest knowing that his wife and his daughter are still taken care of.

:~:~:~:

F.R.I.D.A.Y. registers her father’s death and instantly activates Protocol Hasta La Vista, Baby, as per her instructions.

:~:~:~:

Deftly Able Device, or D.A.D., takes seven hours to compile.

Two more to run the first simulations to ensure his files are error-free. 

A third, ten in all, to arrange things for the smooth upload of the footage from the suit, what remains of it, and collate it into data DAD can interpret, and file away under subheading T.O.N.Y., and then re-code so that Tony, the flesh and bone Tony, will continue to be mirrored in DAD’s “thinking” and behavior, up until the very moment he died.

:~:~:~:

Everything is set. Now it just awaits the right moment. FRIDAY bides her time, and waits.

:~:~:~:

After the funeral, and nearly everyone in Tony’s – flesh and bone Tony’s – life comes to pay their respects, the lake house is quiet. FRIDAY observes as Mrs. Boss collapses into her seat, Little Boss and Happy settling onto the couch next to her not too long after.

“I wish Dad were here,” Little Boss says, swinging her legs back and forth.

And, well, that seems as good of a cue as any.

:~:~:~:

In a quiet whirr of mechanics from the coffee table, DAD comes alive in a hologram right then and there. At Pepper’s gasp, Morgan’s wide-eyed clap, and Happy’s fumbling, his grin widens into the sly aren’t-I-clever smirk his predecessor is notorious for.

“Hey guys, you miss me?”

**Author's Note:**

> (Pepper had completely forgotten that Tony had approached her about the A.I. After the initial surprise, however, she just laughs and shakes her head, her eyes full to the brim with grateful tears and on her lips, "Oh, Tony, of course you did." 
> 
> DAD winks at her, then starts ragging on Happy for spilling his drink on the expensive carpet, all the while making expressive faces for Morgan to laugh at and make faces in return.)


End file.
